IBM InfoSphere Optim vs Toad for Oracle comparison

IBM and Quest Software are both solutions in the Database Development and Management category. IBM is ranked #16 with an average rating of 7.0, while Quest Software is ranked #4 with an average rating of 9.0. IBM holds a 2.5% mindshare in DDM, compared to Quest Software’s 5.5% mindshare. Additionally, 66% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Quest Software users who would recommend it.

IBM InfoSphere Optim

Read 3 IBM InfoSphere Optim reviews

582 Views
240 Comparison Views

66% willing to recommend

Toad for Oracle

Read 16 Toad for Oracle reviews

1,203 Views
549 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM InfoSphere Optim

Toad for Oracle

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 23, 2025

IBM InfoSphere Optim and Toad for Oracle compete in database management and optimization. Toad for Oracle seems to have the upper hand with its feature-set versatility and ease of deployment.

Features: IBM InfoSphere Optim is known for data archiving, application retirement, and data privacy, focusing on lifecycle management and compliance. Toad for Oracle is noted for database development, query building, and real-time insights aiming at development and optimization.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM InfoSphere Optim involves a complex deployment with strong customer support. Toad for Oracle offers a simple installation, intuitive interface, and effective support.

Pricing and ROI: IBM InfoSphere Optim has higher initial setup costs, focusing on data governance and compliance ROI. Toad for Oracle is more cost-effective, emphasizing productivity and reduced manual errors.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM InfoSphere Optim vs. Toad for Oracle Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM InfoSphere Optim vs. Toad for Oracle

April 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

IBM InfoSphere Optim

Ranking in Database Development and Management

16th

Average Rating

6.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Toad for Oracle

Ranking in Database Development and Management

4th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Database Development and Management category, the mindshare of IBM InfoSphere Optim is 2.5%, up from 2.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Toad for Oracle is 5.5%, up from 5.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Database Development and Management

Featured Reviews

Ajai Lal

Project Manager at Mphasis

Very supportive of Db2 and easy to customize, but IMS features are not user friendly and the support of these features is lacking

We work on two different types of databases, one being IMS and the other Db2. While the solution is very supportive of Db2, it is not so friendly when it comes to IMS databases. When we had questions for the support team conerning the IMS database, we found their knowledge to be lacking, likely owing to lack of experience on their part. I would not say that the initial setup is complex. Neither would I say that it is straightforward. Certain features require technical knowledge.

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Joseph Jolly

Manager Software Engineering at URA

Highly stable solution and efficiently pinpoints specific areas with issues, which has saved us time troubleshooting.

I think one area is being able to use shortcuts, for example, being able to press F5 to run a query or having the ability to seamlessly copy and paste. Sometimes it works in some areas, but in others, it doesn't. Like when you copy, you find that it's blank and doesn't copy anything. So, there are some objects that do copy, and sometimes they don't. In additional features, I would like maybe one for the integration with the ticketing system. For example, if a ticket is raised to resolve an issue, there should be something that I can click on to update the ticket when I'm done.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"I feel the solution to be a bit faster than the traditional methods, which makes it easy to customize."

"We like that we can easily restore the database with just a few clicks. The database is linked as well."

"The tool evaluates non-optimized queries and generates the queries in a way that is more optimal - in addition to giving us some good practices for code development."

"Oracle has advanced query optimization and tuning features that help improve the performance of SQL queries."

"A quite simple feature that I have not encountered elsewhere is the "Make Code" feature. I can easily export a complex SQL statement to a programming language. This is a great timesaver as I do not have to type in all of the escape/concatenation characters just to create a SQL statement in C# or C++."

"The best product for working with Oracle databases for support, checking and loading data."

"Simply the best GUI software for administration is the most valuable aspect for me."

"I like that it's very flexible and helpful in query accuracy, analysis, and data visualization. I also like the move facilities available in Toad for Oracle. Overall, I think it's a fantastic product for analyzing SQL queries and managing all kinds of queries."

"One of the most valuable features of Toad for Oracle is its ability to manage sessions by killing those that are hung or blocking other sessions."

"The most valuable feature of Toad for Oracle is the fashion browser and the Schema browser. It is very complete."

More Toad for Oracle pros

Cons

"While the solution is very supportive of Db2, it is not so friendly when it comes to IMS databases."

"We're looking for a solution that can be implemented on AWS. IBM InfoSphere Optim can be implemented on AWS, but it costs more than double what we're currently paying. So, it's not really of good value for us."

"Once in a while, I may encounter a memory exception and have to abort the application. On a few occasions, the file that stores the saved connections for the New Connection window will become corrupt and I will lose all of my saved connections. I am not sure if that is a Windows or TOAD issue, but it has happened to all of my developers at some point or another."

"Improvement wise, for the user it should show the minimum features on the screen and not all the features. Toad has a lot of features, but most users will use only 5 or 10 based on their role. Nobody needs all the features, and they should provide the option to choose only the required features. Only minimum requirements should be enabled by default. When all the features are shown, the performance is not good; it loads slowly and has hundreds of popups and unnecessary questions."

"Query optimization is still very resource-intensive."

"It would be beneficial if Toad for Oracle could incorporate OEM features, as having monitoring capabilities in the same interface would simplify workload and management tasks."

"In future releases, the product can be more intuitive. It has to be lighter than what it is because sometimes it is not responding quickly. If I do some features at the same time, it's not supporting. I have to wait sometimes to get the action. It's dependent on the resources of the workstation, but it has to be improved in this area. The faster processing is needed."

"The way the dialog boxes appear can be improved."

"An area where the solution could use some improvement is in terms of user-friendliness. During the initial setup phase, the solution was not very intuitive when attempting to establish connections."

"It would be better if they had an online option allowing me to connect from anywhere on any device. Sometimes I face some errors, depending on the network and setup. It's not a big issue."

More Toad for Oracle cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"IBM InfoSphere Optim is a very expensive solution. Actually, it's the most expensive archiving solution that we have."

"In my opinion, this solution is a little expensive, but I understand that good programs cost more money."

"There are paid and free-for-use versions of the product."

"Toad for Oracle has a relatively high cost compared to other similar tools."

"The product's pricing is just right because if it were slightly higher, it would not have been as widely adopted as it currently is in our organization."

"The pricing is okay, it's reasonable."

"My advice is to try to use the three-year maintenance agreement if possible."

"The professional edition is about $1,000 AUD ($700 USD) and the developer version is about twice that much."

"I would rate it six, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

26%

Insurance Company

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

20%

Government

12%

Computer Software Company

11%

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

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What do you like most about Toad for Oracle?

The product's most valuable features are UI and monitoring.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Toad for Oracle?

The licensing cost for Toad for Oracle is relatively high, with their license and DPA suite totaling around five thousand dollars.

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What needs improvement with Toad for Oracle?

It would be beneficial if Toad for Oracle could incorporate OEM features, as having monitoring capabilities in the same interface would simplify workload and management tasks.

See all answers

Comparisons

Informatica Data Archive vs IBM InfoSphere Optim

Compared 59% of the time

Solix Enterprise Data Management vs IBM InfoSphere Optim

Compared 41% of the time

More IBM InfoSphere Optim Competitors

Toad Edge vs Toad for Oracle

Compared 24% of the time

Toad Data Modeler vs Toad for Oracle

Compared 15% of the time

Oracle Enterprise Manager vs Toad for Oracle

Compared 14% of the time

DbVisualizer vs Toad for Oracle

Compared 11% of the time

Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials vs Toad for Oracle

Compared 10% of the time

More Toad for Oracle Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Database Development and Management

April 2025

Download IBM InfoSphere Optim product report

Buyer's Guide

Toad for Oracle

April 2025

Download Toad for Oracle product report

Also Known As

IBM Optim, Optim

No data available

Overview

IBM Optim solutions manage data from requirements to retirement. They boost performance, empower collaboration, and improve governance across applications, databases and platforms. By managing data properly over its lifetime, organisations are better equipped to support business goals with less risk.

IBM

With Toad for Oracle, you'll reduce costs and risks by easily ensuring the health and performance of your Oracle Cloud Platform and on-premises databases. ... On the operations side, you can automate administration tasks and proactively manage your databases while embracing performance optimization and risk mitigation.

Quest Software

Sample Customers

Durham Police Department, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., Continental, KCE Electronics Public Company Limited, The University of Adelaide, Migros Zurich, COPROB

intel, ebay, uber, mars, microsoft

Buyer's Guide

IBM InfoSphere Optim vs. Toad for Oracle

April 2025

Free Report: IBM InfoSphere Optim vs. Toad for Oracle

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